Alabama Commentary: Last drive produced championship effort

8:10 PM,
Nov. 4, 2012

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The top-ranked team in college football was trailing by three points with 94 seconds remaining and had rarely looked efficient in its battle with one of the top-rated defenses in America.

From the outside looking in, Alabama's situation was dire. The Tide offense had managed just one first down in the second half and 49 total yards in 17 plays. Four of the five possessions had ended after three plays with a punt.

In the huddle, none of that seemed to matter. Quarterback AJ McCarron was calm and so were his teammates. ...